Additional information
| Weight | 460 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 230 × 150 × 22 mm |
| ISBN | 9781925522990 |
| Format | |
| Imprint | Boolarong Press |
| Page extent | 320 |
| Publication Year | 2018 |
| Subject | Biography & Autobiography, Fiction, History |
Strumpets of the Worst Kind
$29.99
Lynne Hume
London, 1836. Street-smart Maggie Burnett from the back alleys of Cheapside, is imprisoned in filthy, rat-infested Newgate Gaol. There she meets the gentle Sarah Hamilton, and the rough Scottish woman, Agnes MacDonald. Along with a hundred other women, they have been sentenced to transportation to start a new life on the other side of the world.
Once on board the ship to Van Diemen’s Land, they realize that Newgate was comfortable compared with the perilous journey on the high seas with a crew of lustful sailors.
In a land where men outnumber women seven to one, it will take all of their courage and wits just to survive. What choices do each of them make when faced with the dangers inside the Female Factory, and the loneliness, violence and fear of the unknown outside? Will the taint of the ‘convict stain’ follow them for the rest of their lives?
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Inspired by true events of the lives of convict women in early colonial Australia, this is a tale of resilience, rebellion and compromise. Lynne Hume’s deft weaving of well-researched historical facts with carefully crafted characters brings authenticity to this fictional tale. Readers will be swept along, wanting to know more, and pondering what they might do in the same situation.
admin –
*A compelling read. So well written, organised, set out and thoroughly researched. I really enjoyed the way the author separated the lives of the Sarah, Maggie and Agnes in the chapters and how their lives intertwined years after transportation. – Deborah Norris, Hobart, Tasmania.
admin –
*I thought the historical research was spot on. The dialect was appropriate. The women were believable, likeable and realistic. Their lives were historical yet deeply personal. The events in each of their lives were easy to follow and drawn to conclusion by the characters as elders. The story was historical yet fictional and interesting to read. Life was hard with similarities today: People in different eras with similar difficulties. – Anita Litz, Canada
admin –
*I was drawn into the stories from the first page to the last. Their stories are engaging, each told in their own vernacular. But what makes the book stand out are the fascinating details of life as it was lived in prison, on board ship, and in the new colony, informed by the author’s extensive research. I got to know these women and their lives, and to care about them, and to admire their resilience. I highly recommend Strumpets of the Worst Kind to both history buffs, and readers who enjoy engaging with other lives in other times and in other places. It abounds in interest and authenticity. – Rosanne Debats, Adelaide.